Lost in Infinite Power
by TheSullenPrincess
Summary: The time had come to finally return to Hyrule Castle. (Midgame BoTW)


Disclaimer: I do not own The Legend of Zelda, Nintendo, or any of its characters.

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Lost in Infinite Power

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The day had started off like any other in Link's house, albeit, this time before the sun had risen.

The small Hylian roused himself out of the last remnants of sleep by pushing away the comforting warmth of his bed and sheets with mild reluctance. The cold, dawn air caused his skin to break out into goosebumps as bare feet sluggishly moved about the upstairs bedroom in search of his tunic and hair tie.

After dressing, and consuming a simple breakfast of mushroom rice balls with goats milk, Link set about double-checking he had absolutely everything he could possibly need for the journey—and battle—that lay ahead. A half-hour later, and with the Master Sword safely strapped to his back, Sheikah Slate in its holster at his side, map of the castle's layout intensely studied and memorized, and all the Divine Beasts back under his control, Link felt he was more than ready to tumble with evil incarnate today.

It was time to storm the castle.

The sky was still dark by the time Link stepped outside into the chilly morning air. A light fog covered the scenic grove around his home like wandering phantoms yet his legs carried him easily to the bridge, past the empty town, and to the end of the dirt path where the first of many blue fire lanterns in Hateno Village illuminated the small area. Passing by a collection of carefully stacked stones the village children had created, the flame's glow guided the Hylian Champion easily up the wooden steps leading to Mayor Reede's home, taking care to stay as quiet as possible so as not to wake up the family that slept inside.

The statue sat under a stone temple connected to the main house. A few cracks had appeared overtime and moss started to inhabit the bottom-half of the statue but for the most part, it was clean and untouched. Reede's family had taken pride in maintaining the honor of the Goddess Hylia.

Link stared at the peaceful features of the statue before closing his eyes and kneeling in reverence. He seldom prays and he thinks he's not very good at it, but in the end, Link is happy with his short but to-the-point devotions when he stands to bow his head in thanks.

"She's waited long enough," he said quietly, determination settling itself deep in his chest just as the first rays of light break past the sky's horizon. Link can't help the smile that forms, as if Hylia herself were happily agreeing with him.

Link grabbed the slate and entered in his next destination. He hears the odd but familiar hum of energy and looks down at his body in time to see it vanish in a show of shimmering blue light. Seconds later, the same whirr of buzzing energy splits the calm morning air and Link reappears in a haze of blue as his body is put back together, materializing perfectly on the Katah Chuki Shrine platform.

There was once a time when traveling such ways would make his head spin and his stomach churn. His vision would swim and he'd often double over as a wave of dizziness and nausea rendered him unable to move for a few moments afterward. This is no longer the case as Link easily stepped off the platform to walk the short distance up the slope the shrine is hidden from. A rusted and very much deceased Guardian sat atop uselessly until Link uses it to lean against it while examining the area around the shrine.

Early on in his travels, Link was advised by Lawdon, the Wetland Stable owner, not to cross what the locals had dubbed Hyrule Fields, the 'Hot Zone'—"not unless you're lookin' to burn", Link had been warned. And with great reason, too. The fields were guarded by Guardian Stalkers, both mobile and not. Various other uglies were patrolling the area, and he could always count on the unrelenting Yiga Clan to surely make an appearance, or two.

So while Link had to admit Hyrule Fields now lived up to the well-deserved moniker, he would also have to inform Lawdon that the Hot Zone was nothing compared to Central Square, or as Link was now calling it, the 'Kill Zone'.

The place was overflowing with clumps of thick, purple, contagious jam. Escape routes were blocked by spikes and evil glowing eyes and the occasional "dead" Guardian. There were also countless Stalkers constantly on the move while in the skies, Skywatchers flew overhead, patrolling from above as their spotlights were used as beacons of death if anything resembling Link were to cross its path. The buzzing from their propellers seemed never-ending as they looped back and forth in unpredictable patterns. One such Guardian was currently flying past now, its red eye scanning the ground below in quick but efficient movements until it was soon out of sight.

Certainly, it was enough to keep regular Hyrulians away. Except...

_I've never just been a regular Hyrulian though, have I?_

The weight of the darkness-sealing sword on his back was all the answer Link needed as he finally pushed off the deceased Guardian to climb a bit a higher before settling himself into a low crouch. A sudden gust of wind and ethereal green light danced around him, sending his tunic and hair flying wildly. Link unlocks the former Rito Champion's power fully as soon as he jumps and the magic of Revali's Gale does its job, sending him straight into the sky. His quick reflexes bring out the paraglider as soon as the wind has died and he hopes to ride it as far is it will carry him—

—which didn't look to be far as not one—but _two_ Guardian Stalkers spot Link as he glides across the ruins of what was once Castle Town. Both Guardians—one on each side of him—charge up their laser beams and train their mark squarely on Link's back and head. The young knight, however, is undeterred by their presence and continues to sail on. He knows from experience that it's hard for them to hit a moving target, or at least, Link hopes they haven't gotten better at aiming since the last time he's had to deal with them. Blue eyes narrow into slits of concentration as the fountain statue approaches.

The Stalkers are able to shoot off two beams of energy each, narrowly missing him by several inches, before Link drops behind a low courtyard wall and immediately crouches as low as he can go. It's barely knee-high but it'll have to do when a rooted Guardian is awoken almost as soon as Link sailed past its view on the other side of the wall. It quickly starts scanning the area for the Hylian. To make matters worse, he's landed in front of a sizable pool of malice that will take some time navigating around and yet another Stalker on his right is up and moving from all the commotion.

_Nothing is ever just easy, is it?_

Thankfully, luck hasn't completely abandoned Link as the Stalker's path is blocked by malice, successfully preventing it from coming any closer. Link uses this little bit of time to get his bearings in order as he wipes the sweat from his forehead with the back of his left arm.

It's still very early in the morning but the sun is fully visible now, casting light upon the broken stone and rotting wood foundations of buildings where civilization had once stood. The thorns piercing up through the ground are covered in infected looking tar, clumped tight together in thick patches between the spikes and spreading across the floor in tacky webs. He'd have to watch where he stepped from now on.

_Kill Zone, indeed_, Link absentmindedly thinks, creeping forward slowly towards a stone structure jutting out from the ground. Only a partial floor and two broken walls that make up a corner of a building or house—Link isn't sure—are barely standing but it's enough to hide behind. It's also just tall enough for him to stand but he instead chooses to stay as low to the ground while resting on the balls of his feet, in case he needed to move quickly.

Link examined the malicious looking goop with calculated eyes before ultimately deciding his best chance was to run straight through it. Going around it would mean giving the Stalker and rooted Guardian enough time to power up and potentially get a couple hits on him. The knight thinks taking a little damage with the slimy substance is better than being obliterated into nothing. But as Link stands and prepares to grit his teeth to charge through, his eyes spot something last second that very nearly almost has him smiling like an idiot

_An opening!_

It was indeed an opening, although, not a very big one. The toxic sludge still flowed, however, it seemed to thin out in one certain spot, just enough to let Link through if he calculated his jump accordingly.

_Better than nothing._

And without a second thought, Link runs without hesitation, jumping as soon as the malice had parted but lands with an agonizing groan. The sludge chose at that moment to close the gap and one foot got caught, sending a nauseating wave of pain straight through him. It reminds Link of his first time traveling using the shrine portals. Only ten times worse, and with a much deadlier impact.

_No time_, he pants, clutching his side in agony. His hearing picked up the whirring of the automaton behind him as the Stalker and rooted Guardian are getting ready to shoot off a laser beam right at Link's back.

He ran like he's never run before, ignoring the pain and the bile that was quickly rising up his throat. The wall was within reach now! With one placed hand, Link vaults and ducks down in time, barely missing two beams to the head and immediately retched all over the courtyard wall next to him.

His head was swimming and he was sure he's emptied the entire contents of his stomach but Link, once again, was forced to move when he noticed flames moving towards him. The Guardian's blasts have set fire to the dry grass around him and he takes cover behind another collapsed building. Unlike the first one, this one has more coverage so Link doesn't waste any time reaching into his pack to pull out and drink a fairy tonic he'd prepared beforehand. It's only when his stomach is settled and his breathing has returned to normal that he finally checks out his new surroundings.

Larger, taller building ruins stand here and Link makes an educated guess as to what they could have been. Barrels and crates litter the area so he comes to the conclusion that these were once shops or buildings of similar equivalence. They would have been made more durable, a testament to how many and how much of the buildings have withstood a century of decay. Unlike the smaller building Link had been hiding out only moments ago—which he now thinks was most likely a home—which was all but mostly destroyed. The particular building he was in even had a surviving cast iron cooking pot in the corner.

Eyes scanned the area, taking their time to spot out any immediate danger. There was none, but now Link could see first hand what had become of Hyrule Castle.

Most of the vicinity was infested with the corrupted, gurgling mess of the Calamity. Link couldn't help as he wrinkled his nose in disgust at all the clumps and swathes of it blocking the prestige view of the castle, pulsating like a heartbeat, as if alive. He imagines this is what Ganon's heart must look like.

Link can only make out two of the five colossal pillars from his vantage point but he knows all five are positioned in leaned formation along the ground just outside the moat that encircled the Castle. He had truly noticed their gargantuan size for the first time atop Divine Beast Vah Medoh and how they were made from the same ancient Sheikah technology. Now they were just another thing added to the list of things Calamity Ganon had tainted.

Moving left to get a closer look, he sees a set of stairs. Guarding them was a cluster of spikes housing a huge, yellow evil glowing eye at its center with five little ones surrounding it. The smaller eyes all blink randomly but the big one never even so much as flinched as Link stepped up to closer inspect it. While others had spawned cursed versions of Moblin, Bokoblin, and Lizalfos skulls, the one in front of Link seems harmless and only intended to cut off a possible escape route. He was now pretty sure Ganon was watching him through them, as they seemed to appear quite frequently enough throughout his journey.

_If that's the case..._

Link made an obscene gesture with his left hand before turning to walk away. Popping the eye would result in the protrusions and surrounding barrier blocking the stairs to disappear into wisps of smoke, clearing the way for the inconspicuous Guardian on the other side to wake up, spot Link, and give chase.

No. As satisfying as it would be to destroy every last one of Ganon's creations and snuff out his only means of viewing the outside world, Link would instead just have to settle for Ganon having a great view of his ass as the knight walked away.

Soon, Link was finally standing at the center of the Square, looking up at the broken fountain statue. Somehow, Link can't help but think how well it's held up throughout the years. Had he ever stood in that same spot just to stare up at it one hundred years ago? Watched it flow with water while Castle Town folk walked all around him?

_Maybe._

Lost in his thoughts the small Champion was that he completely forgot where he was for a second. That second soon comes at a cost as a Guardian Stalker patrolling the grounds becomes aware of Link as he stands in its direct line of sight. It wasted no time in shuffling forward, the clicking of its legs finally goes noticed by Link who blinked rapidly as if waking from a dream. His eyes widen almost comically as he frantically scrambled up the fountain statue, loosening up the stone even more in his haste.

_How did I not see it?_ Link mentally berated himself while continuously moving around the top of the statue. Keeping something between him and the Guardian's eye at all times was a lot harder when space was the size of a surfer's shield.

_And just as unstable_, Link thought, and skirts around once more. The sound of rock crunching under his boots does not go unaware by the robot as it scuttles back and forth around the fountain, over and over again in search of its elusive target.

The two keep up their cat-and-mouse game for another five minutes before Link is sweating and panting, pressed harshly against the uneven, jagged stone and as small as he can make himself. He wasn't sure how good its eyesight was, but he'd observed some had extreme range. And Skywatchers tended to give up if you went far enough outside of their route. While Stalkers, on the other hand, would follow you until they lost sight of you. That meant even if Link could avoid the Stalker for now, there was no way he was getting to the bridge leading to the Castle's gates unnoticed and unscathed. There was little to no coverage, most of the surrounding area was covered in malice. Not to mention, from what little he could see of the entrance, Skywatches patrolled the gate heavily, and Link would have a hell of a time deflecting blows from the air and the ground.

Which meant there was only one way to settle things.

Waiting for the Guardian Stalker to give up momentarily in its search and power down, Link slipped from his hiding spot with minimal noise. He crouch-walked around the base of the fountain until he was as close to the unsuspecting Guardian without alerting it. With a deep breath and a small prayer, Link produced the Master Sword with a metallic _shing_ from its sheath and—

—almost fell backward when his tunic caught on a jagged piece of rock.

Link gasped in surprise at the same time he turned to undo the snag, more than aware of the red dot now dancing around his chest. The noise the Guardian made as it locked onto him was more than a little unnerving and Link found himself yanking hard at the cloth, tearing it in the process but finally free. He jumped behind the fountain to avoid a laser through the heart but wasn't fast enough, as the explosion kicked up dust and debris and shunted Link to the side, narrowly missing being sent into a huge pool of toxic sludge.

The dust that still billowed was cover enough and the Stalker lost its sights on Link, giving said man enough time to climb back up on top of the statue. The agitated red glow permeated throughout the Stalker's mechanical body as it searched wildly again. Link peered over the edge to locate the Guardian, just as it turned to catch him. He ducked back down quickly, but not before he caught sight of the eerie glowing eye from before, watching him intently.

_Hope you're having fun watching, you prick, 'cause I'm about to take out your puppet—for real this time._

The sentinel finally radiated a calm blue, signifying it had gone back to standing watch and Link used that time to get on his feet. Only this time, instead of attacking from below, the Hylian Champion would do so from above.

Warily watching the Guardian, Link timed his jump to land squarely on the top of its head. Shocked and confused, the Stalker shot off a series of rapid-fire energy beams while it scooted about frantically. Link held on and waited for an opening to ram the Master Sword through its eye when one of the robot's legs got stuck in the sticky tar, sending the metal demon tilting and Link hopping off to safe ground before he fell in too.

More preoccupied with getting unstuck, Link saw the opportunity to strike. He darted in, cleaving a metal leg in half and enjoying the view of watching the sparks fly. With blow after blow, Link removed its remaining legs until eventually destroying the rest of the Guardian's body. The Stalker exploded in a wondrous show of light and fire, leaving behind the usual cluster of springs, screws, and gears.

He did think it a bit strange that there would only be _one_ sole Guardian at the center when the rest of the Kill Zone was crawling with them. Maybe Ganon hadn't expected Link to make it this far? Nevertheless, the Hylian wasn't about to question it further.

Blood flowing and pumped for the final showdown, there was nothing more to do than to set forth towards the bridge that led to a set of huge metal doors that barred the entrance to Hyrule Castle. Link was certain he'd storm in there, kick Ganon in the ass and have the princess back home safe and sound before the day was even out. But first things first, he had to go through those doors.

_Knock, knock Ganon_, Link raised his sword and aimed it at the castle with unwavering determination. _I'm coming for you._

Link set off in a light jog, eyes trained on the Skywatcher in the distance that he was unaware of the changing sky. Where peaceful, blue had once been, was now replaced by an angry, oppressive red. Dark clouds hung overhead like a noose and the air itself felt stale, thick. The threatening atmosphere spread far out over until it seemed to consume every inch of the sky. As soon as all the light had been snuffed out did Link finally stop in his tracks a few feet into stepping on the bridge, his attention no longer on the looming threat of Skywatchers. Instead, something else came to light.

Literally. A white light he hadn't seen before was slowly materializing into view. It was easily dominating over the bloody sky and growing stronger and brighter the closer he walked towards it.

_When had I started moving?_ He wondered, unsure of the answer. His legs seemed to carry him on their own accord now.

Each step seemed to intensify the light's radiance until Link suddenly stopped if by some force willing him so. He was only halfway across the bridge but could make out two things right away: the first was that the light was coming from the walkway directly atop the gate. The second was that the light was actually a person.

_But who…?_

The form had legs that swung lightly as they dangled over the edge of the walkway. They were just sitting there with hands in their lap, long hair to one side and what seemed like something fluttering… A white dress?

Link immediately gasped.

"Hello, Link."

A voice he hadn't heard since the last Blood Moon echoed around the surrounding area. Link, unable to form words, could only gape with widened eyes. He had come a long way, from not remembering anything in the Shrine of Resurrection to battling every baddie Calamity Ganon had set before him—all for the sake of saving her. And it turned out she was just…sitting there. Perfectly calm and in no danger that he could see.

"Princess…Zelda?" His voice broke. From lack of use or disbelief Link didn't know. The light was slowly receded back within the being, making it much easier for him to see now. A smile was fast developing, starting as a twitch at the outer corners of his lips and developing into a full, honest-to-goodness grin of unfathomable happiness. To see her in the flesh—and unharmed, no less, wasn't what Link had been prepared to see for a while longer, but was still a wonderful sight to see nonetheless.

Long blonde hair cascaded down one side of her face and arm, shielding her left side from view. But Link could perfectly make out one sole green eye. It crinkled at the corner as her smile beautifully framed her face.

Seeing her safe, seeing her free—Link could almost cry at the sight. Instead, he forced himself to compose himself like the knight she remembered him to be. "Princess, I have done as you asked. Now I am here... That is, I _was_ here to save you. If I may ask, how is it that you manage to escape?"

Zelda's smile grew a bit. "Escape?"

"Ganon's hold on the Castle—on all of Hyrule—is still evident. How is it that you can be free if..." He had been told Zelda had locked herself _inside_ the Castle walls to maintain control over the Calamity's power. If this were true, then how could she possibly be out? Had she managed to free herself somehow and meet up with Link here, now? Was she simply waiting on Link to finish the job?

The more he tried to make sense of it, the more something in the pit of his stomach was telling him something wasn't right.

Link stared up at the face he'd seen only in his memories. The one he'd been risking his life to see in person and not from a recorded image of his past when she moved her head to the side slightly—

And something caught his eye. It was for a brief second and it could have been Link's eyes playing a trick on him but he somehow doubted this. He knows what he saw and can't believe this is happening.

"Oh, but it is, Link."

It's still her voice, Zelda's voice, but it isn't Zelda. He was certain of it now.

"You're right," the imposter Zelda said, damning smile still in place. "Your precious princess is no more."

The words are like someone has run through him with his own sword, repeatedly.

_No. No, no, no, no, no..._ It's the only thing that comes to Link's mind when the imposter finally pulls back the hair they had been using like a curtain to reveal an abomination of flesh comprised of malice. The sickening, purple sludge has consumed the skin of her arm and was rapidly spreading throughout the rest of Zelda's body, moving underneath the skin as if trying to break out.

And her eye, the one previously hidden...was the same monstrous, yellow Link had come to know so well. It stared straight back at him.

"You've lost, Hero, and now Her power belongs to me."

Link never broke contact with the evil eye. Not when Zelda's body was completely engulfed by Ganon's power, and not when that same body was suddenly standing right in front of him. The hand that is placed against his heart is warm with the power of the tainted Triforce, and still, Link doesn't break contact.

"Your Goddess has fallen. And now, so shall you."

And by the Gods, he does.

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I was heavily inspired to write this after seeing INSERTDISC5's work, EVEN A GODDESS CAN FALL. Just viewing it sent goosebumps up my arms and I wanted to try my hand at writing something angsty.

I also had my switch open while writing to make it as authentic as I could. A few things are a bit exaggerated but it was for the sake of the story.

Thanks for reading!


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